Sedum plant named ‘Nonia’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Sedum  plant, ‘Nonia’ that is characterized by its foliage that emerges green in color and suffused with maroon towards the apex and margins and matures to gray-green centers with thin maroon margins, its flowers in early summer that are pink in color that emerge from flower buds that are pink in color, and its dense, very low growing plant habit.

Botanical classification: Sedum spurium.

Variety denomination: ‘Nonia’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applications by the same Inventor and pertain to plants derived from the same parentage, the Applications are entitled Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonov’ (U. S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,465), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonob’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,436), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonol’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,411), Sedum Plant Named ‘Noned’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,478), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonog’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,437), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonio’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,450), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonet’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,479), Sedum Plant Named ‘Noner’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,492), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonef’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,502).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant, botanically known as Sedum spurium ‘Nonia’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Nonia’. The new cultivar of Sedum is a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape and container plant and is particularly suitable as a groundcover.

‘Nonia’ was discovered in March of 2005 as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation at the Inventor's nursery in Nunica, Mich. as a single unique plant in a containerized block of 100,000 seedlings of Sedum spurium ‘Voo Doo’ (not patented).

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in Nunica, Mich. in June of 2007. Propagation by cuttings and crown division has determined the characteristics to be stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Nonia’ as a unique cultivar of Sedum.

-   -   1. ‘Nonia’ exhibits foliage that emerges green in color and         suffused with maroon towards the apex and margins and matures to         gray-green centers with thin maroon margins.     -   2. ‘Nonia’ exhibits flower buds that are pink in color.     -   3. ‘Nonia’ exhibits flat-topped, rounded inflorescences with         flowers that are pink in color and present in early summer.     -   4. ‘Nonia’ exhibits a dense, very low growing habit with foliage         that reaches about 3 inches in height.

The parent plant, ‘Voo Doo’, differs from ‘Nonia’ in having foliage that is maroon and green-tinged in color and in having pinkish purple flowers. ‘Nonia’ can be compared to other cultivars of Sedum spurium (all are un-patented) which differs from ‘Nonia’ in the following characteristics; ‘Album Superbum’ differs in having green leaves and white flowers, ‘Bronze Carpet’ differs in having variable green/maroon leaves and deep pink flowers, ‘Coccineum’ differs in having green leaves that are flushed with red under cool temperatures and crimson red flowers, ‘Dragon's Blood’ (syn. Schorbuster Blut') differs in having medium green leaves to green with red margins and red flowers, ‘Elizabeth’ differs in having variable green or maroon leaves and pink flowers, ‘Fuldaglut’ differs in having green and maroon leaves and rosy red flowers, ‘John Creech’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Red Carpet’ differs in having red leaves and pink flowers, ‘Roseum’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Royal Pink’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Summer Glory’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, and ‘Tricolor’ differs in having leaves that are green with white edges and pink flowers.

‘Nonia’ can also be compared to other cultivars that arose as a whole plant mutation of ‘Voo Doo’; ‘Nonol’, ‘Noner’, ‘Nonio’ and ‘Nonef’, ‘Nonol’ differs from ‘Nonia’ in having foliage that is green in color with red margins, in being slightly shorter in height, and in having flowers that are lighter pink in color. ‘Noner’ differs from ‘Nonia’ in having foliage with green centers and bright red margins. ‘Nonio’ differs from ‘Nonia’ in having leaves that are less rounded in shape, leaf margins that are darker and maroon in color and in having flowers that are more purple in color. ‘Nonef’ differs from ‘Nonia’ in having foliage with greener centers when mature and in being slightly taller in height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Sedum. The photographs were taken May (non-flowering) and July (flowering) of 2 year-old plants of ‘Nonia’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the foliage of ‘Nonia’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of the flowers of ‘Nonia’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a top prospective and illustrates the plant habit of ‘Nonia’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Sedum.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observed on 2 year-old plants of ‘Nonia’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—The last two to three weeks of June to the             first or second week of July in Michigan.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, dense, very low growing             habit, mature plant sprawl from central crown with             procumbent stems rooting as they contact the ground.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 3 inches in height             (foliage) and about 5 inches in height in bloom, maximum             spread in about 2 feet.         -   Hardiness.—Reliable hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4B to 7B.         -   Disease and pest.—No susceptibility or resistance to common             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and also readily produced at stem             nodes.         -   Propagation.—Stem cutting spring through summer and crown             division throughout the year.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem size.—3 to 4 inches in length and about ⅛ inch in             width.         -   Internode length.—Ranges from 1 to 1½ inches.         -   Stem color.—184C.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.         -   Branching habit.—Well-branched. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf base.—Broadly cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute to obtuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Not conspicuous, color matched leaf color.         -   Leaf margins.—Crenate to serrated with apex of young leaves             papilose-ciliate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf presence and orientation.—Emerge upright becoming             nearly horizontal.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and waxy on upper and lower surface.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves, upper and lower surface; 138B and             becoming suffused with 183A towards apex, margins 183A,             mature foliage upper and lower surface; 197A with thin             margin of 183A.         -   Leaf size.—Young leaves; an average of ½ inch length and ⅜             inch in width, mature leaves; an average of 1 inch in length             and ¾ inch width.         -   Petioles.—⅛ in length, 1/16 in width, 138B in color, surface             is glabrous. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Dense, flat-headed cymes with 4 forked             branches.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 2½ inches in width and             depth.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About one month.         -   Flower type.—Perfect, spreading, 5-starred.         -   Flower number.—40 to 50 flowers per cyme.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower buds.—Conical in shape, about ⅜ inch in length and             3/16 inch in diameter, ribbed surface, 62A in color.         -   Flower size.—About ¼ inch in length and ⅜ inch in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—Round, range from 1½ inch to 2 inches in length,             ⅛ inch in width, 61C in color, glabrous surface.         -   Pedicels.—Round, range from ⅜ inch to 1 inch in length, 1/16             inch in width, 61C in color, glabrous surface.         -   Sepals.—5, spreading, ovate to lanceolate in shape, about ⅜             inch in length and ⅛ inch in width, 62A in color on both             surfaces, entire margin, acute apex, truncate base, glabrous             surface on both surfaces.         -   Petals.—5, spreading, lanceolate in shape, truncate base,             acute apex, entire margin, color of inner and outer surfaces             is 62A, glabrous surfaces on both surfaces. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—5, held erect, about ⅜ inch in length, stigma 1/32             inch in width and 61B in color, styles ¼ inch in length and             61B in color, ovary 1/10 inch in diameter and 62D in color.         -   Stamens.—10, about ⅜ inch in length, filament 62B in color,             anther 155A in color, pollen is sparse in quantity and N57A             in color.         -   Fruit.—Rounded with pointed tip, aggregate, range from 1/16             inch to ⅛ inch in length and ¼ inch in width, 62A in color,             seed production was not observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Sedum plant named ‘Nonia’ as described and illustrated herein. 